moonrabbit1005

Ep 3: Her dad is so sexist. Girls shouldn’t go through hardships, so he didn’t want his daughter taking a university entrance exam? What kind of bs? Loving and wanting to protect your daughter is one thing, but not letting her gain life experience and do what she wants is just patriarchy rearing its ugly head. He just wants to control her and her life. No wonder she’s so stifled and serious.

I love the detail of her writing his real name when trying out pencils to buy him. And Taiga’s phone screen being cracked makes sense with his messy, devil-may-care lifestyle and attitude. And how he has “Hag” for his mom’s caller ID? That made me laugh out loud. Manami holding on to her stuffed animals shows she’s sheltered and not quite an adult despite her age. The show weaves in these little details that say so much about the characters.

Love when a show takes cliched tropes like rummaging through trash but spins it in a way that’s meaningful and fresh. Taiga thinks he’s trash, but Manami goes out of her way to pick up that trash in the end. Because she hasn’t given up on him. Whew.

Manami standing up for him in the club by saying he’s not an idiot. The look on his face!!! I love it. Then he runs after her and HUGS her like that? I’m not okay. The height gap is height-gapping, the chemistry is chemistry-ing. The way his hand wraps so completely and perfectly around her waist. Goodness, this show wrecks me. Despite the age gap, they look sooo good together.

The drama is reminiscent of classic romance Jdramas which I’m seated for. It reminds me a bit of Chugakusei Nikki with the age gap and us against the world tropes. Despite the premise being unconventional, the show feels grounded, deeper than surface level, poetic, and romantic, even if the romance hasn’t really started yet. I cannot believe the quality content that we're getting every week. Praying the script holds up until the end and we get the HE for our leads.

Ep 2: I love the juxtaposition of Manami and Kaoru running into each other at a hotel and then going off to be with people they don’t really want to be with. I love the detail of him using a napkin to practice writing his real name and ignoring the expensive steak that Akina had ordered for him. The place where these two flawed individuals can literally get some fresh air is up on the rooftop with their private lessons. Up here, it’s just them in their own world, away from their real-life burdens and issues.

Ep 1: Such a great first ep! I love Manami’s backstory and how she’s not just your typical prim-and-proper teacher. From her backstory of stalking her ex, getting arrested for it, quitting her job, being a hikikomori for a year, and even attempting suicide, we know she’s the type that gets obsessed when she really falls in love and is actually quite hot-tempered, as she said so herself. There’s a slightly crazy streak that’s been tucked away in place of a good-girl image as she doesn’t want to repeat the same mistake. I liked that she told her boyfriend she agreed to date him because he’s not really her type and she thinks that way she won’t become obsessed with him. Raul's acting has improved a lot, and I think having a good production team helped him ease into the role better. And his visuals fit the role of a host like a glove. I love the final scene of her teaching him to write the letter properly. It was filmed so beautifully. The dialogue felt natural, like a real-life writing lesson. And to think Raul’s actually a smart cookie in real life! You can already feel the vibes and tension between these two people whose paths never should’ve crossed but who are meant to be together against the odds. I'm a sucker for this type of unconventional setup that Jdramas never shy away from.

I hardly comment on MDL because I'm so lazy lol, but I had to join the fun here. As a Snow Man fan (the idol group Raul is part of) and Raul fan, I was really excited for this drama to air. Never would I have thought we'd get Raul in a romance drama so soon. It seemed he was focused on idoling and modeling. I honestly had my expectations low even though the synopsis of the drama intrigued me and I like Kimura Fumino. But I'm happy to say I'm obsessed with this drama xD. Having to wait for one subbed ep per week is killing me, and two weeks behind the Japan airing schedule on top of that? I'm really learning patience. But I can't resist spoilers so I'm skimming through the raw eps anyway haha. I'm completely invested and attached. I love Kaoru and Manami and I SWEAR if they don't get their happy ending, I will lose it. I can take angst and pain, but it needs to end happily or I'll riot. Having Raul in this type of drama is a (fangirl) dream come true. He's grown a lot as an actor and his chemistry with Fumino is so good! I've seen her in a lot of dramas before, but this may be my favorite role of hers. Manami is not just a goody two shoes and Chihuahua-sensei is actually such a fitting nickname for her. The script, direction, acting, and cinematography so far are way above what I was expecting. I'm thrilled that Raul got to participate in a quality project and I can't wait to see what he does next acting-wise. I'll put my thoughts about each episode in spoiler comments.

Can someone help answer my questions from ep 39?

1. The soldiers Zang Hai and Antu see in the cave are real upright corpses, right? That's why ZH was able to touch the fur on the soldier's clothing. Then later, because of the smell in the paintings, they hallucinate that these soldiers are attacking them.

2. When Queen Minglv Huda realizes the ghost soldiers that were poisoned by the Gui Seal become delirious and can't distinguish between enemy and friend, she decides to use her royal blood to stop them from causing more destruction. Her royal blood cures the Gui Seal's poison, and she dies as a result. I'm not quite understanding how exactly the soldiers stopped going crazy? It seems like the queen let her blood flow out until she ran out of blood and died, but did the ghost soldiers drink the blood to stop their crazy state?

I hardly ever comment because I'm too lazy lol, but this drama deserves all the praise it's been getting. I keep coming back every day to read new comments.

I hadn't read the manga but knew of it because hyde is the model for Maki in the manga. To be honest, I didn't have high expectations when starting this drama even though I had seen both Yuto and Rihito in their previous works and liked them as actors xD. But I'm so glad I was proven wrong because this drama is one of the best Jdramas this year.

First, the plot/storyline is genuinely engaging and keeps getting better with each ep. The concept of investigations using the brain is brilliant and innovative, and raises a lot of moral/ethical discussion. I just love the psychology behind it all and the cases kept me fully engaged. Shoutout to Kunimura Jun for delivering psychopathic, insane, bone chilling villain so effortlessly. I liked that the drama took their time with a few cases getting spread across two eps so it didn't feel too rushed despite all the content they were stuffing into just 11 eps haha.

Now, onto the actors. I thought everyone did a great job. I've always liked Yuto but he really leveled up here, playing both Suzuki and Aoki so well and making them distinct from one another. That is no easy task. Not only does he look the part, Yuto's acting convinces me that genuinely pure, good people like Aoki do exist, instead of coming off as saintly and annoying. Also love his voice and line delivery. He is the warmth that Maki needs after all the suffering he's endured T-T.

Now, onto my boy Rihito! I'm older than him by a few years so I feel like he's my kid brother LOL. I've been a fan ever since Colorful Love, was shook by how good his acting was in Shijukara, and now I'm fully on board again after watching him EAT UP his role as the bishounen, adult-but-looks-like-a-teen, commanding but vulnerable, tortured soul, superintendent Maki. I knew this kid isn't just a pretty face but my goodness, he blew me away here. First, he actually looks like Maki from the manga, both his face, height, and overall aura. He's also young which fits the bill of Maki looking way younger than his age in the manga. They did a fine job casting him based on visuals alone. AND he can actually act his ass off? We really lucked out. Live actions tend to be disappointing because rarely do we get an actor that looks the part AND can act the part. I'm still in awe that they managed to cast both leads that can do both. Rihito's acting was absolutely wonderful. He managed to portray all the complex, multi-faceted aspects of Maki with so much conviction and emotion. He was brilliantly intelligent, commanding, a bit aloof and distant, but also tormented, vulnerable, and lonely. Rihito captured all of the sides of Maki perfectly. Not only did he capture the essence of Maki's character as true to the manga, he also made the role his own. I can't imagine anyone else as Maki. Such a difficult role to cast and to play, and I'm so grateful they got Rihito to do it. I just want him to know he did amazing because I'm sure there was a lot of pressure and exhaustion during the filming process.

Aomaki's chemistry was insane xD. I've seen side by side comparisons from the manga and how did they manage to capture the vibes so well? I know the manga loved teasing us and the drama followed suit. Japan has always been excellent at teasing these possible ships and letting the audience interpret however they want lol. But I desperately need a sequel, special ep, a movie, ANYTHING if it means I get more of them as Aomaki.

Shoutout to Okabe for being Maki's #1 bodyguard and supporter LOL. Their scenes were a joy to watch.

This has become a love letter to this drama LOL. But I haven't been this invested in a drama in awhile, so this was a delight. Can't wait to see Yuto and Rihito in their future projects. I hope they get casted in complex, demanding roles as their talent can definitely match up to it. Rihito especially - there is something so special about him and he deserves bigger opportunities from now on. Give him all the dark, tortured, angsty roles because he will eat it up!

Happy birthday XZ! It’s my fifth year celebrating your birthday and I look forward to celebrating it for many years to come. I hope many good things will come your way this year ❤️❤️❤️

Yes I already did and he was so good!

I'm posting this as a separate comment because as an XZ fan I needed to rant about him haha. It was pure joy getting to watch him flourish and shine as the little sun Sheng Yang. He was simply the character, and I felt every up and down with him. Before the show aired, I was very curious as to how he would portray a younger man in love. We had seen him as the older, mature Dr. Gu in TOOL and the aloof master in TLP, so I was looking forward to him being the younger one in the relationship. And he didn't disappoint! SY met JB again when she was at a low point in her life, and eventually weaved his way into her world. Not much could make her genuinely smile, but you could see how he successfully melted the ice when they were together, a little bit at a time. He made SY feel like a real person; young and not yet matured/inexperienced at times, but always sincere, determined, and full of love for the important people in his life - his parents, friends, and of course his girlfrienddd (SY had to emphasize that every time they interact, so sweet). I have to give a shoutout to XZ's blinding, gorgeous smile that lights up his entire face like the sun lights up the sky. Each time he smiles until his eyes turn into little creases, I'm falling for him all over again. No one else could've played SY as perfectly as XZ did. SY straggled the line between being cute/sweet like a puppy to make JB loosen up, but also manly and dependable when JB needs a shoulder to lean on. That's the magic of XZ's face/visuals - he can be adorable without being fake, and also be manly without being greasy/stiff. This drama wasn't perfect, and I won't lie and say there are no regrets about what could've been done better for the leads. But I think with each project that airs, XZ is increasing his value as an actor, which is what he wants. What he gained from this drama are praise for his acting, 2nd CCTV golden timeslot in a year, and proof of his ability to take on a variety of roles and genres. Real gold will shine because it's real, even if other factors get in the way. Capital backers can try to push their pets, but the audience will be able to judge who is actually good. I cherish this drama because XZ spent time and effort to give us the best SY. I hope he will continue to get better and better projects, with a good production team that has his best interests in mind, because he deserves it. See you all on the LOCH page!

I'm echoing everyone's sentiments of the hockey trio getting way too much unnecessary screentime without contributing to the story. Smells like connections and hidden agendas. While I'm frustrated, I will try to focus on the positive aspects. I finished ep 36 and I'm left with the feeling of wanting so much MORE, because the stories of our leads, SY's parents, SC/PR, the workplace aspects, all of that was so well done. XZ and BBH nailed their parts and they were fantastic separately and together. Their chemistry was so warm and sincere, and I really do feel that JB and SY would be able to run together for the rest of their lives. Some noona romance dramas are very forced in the intimate scenes, and of course I would've loved to see more of those between JB and SY, I really do think their relationship progress was done well. The drama showed us why they fell for each other and it convinced me why these two are the ones for each other. The cinematography was beautiful, and I love all the gorgeous Chongqing city landscape scenes; knowing it is XZ's hometown makes it even more special. I appreciate the realistic feel of the drama in the workplace aspect. It's nice to see these adults actually working and being very busy to the point where they have to make time to date, and I like the effort they put into showing JB's actual ads. I would've loved to see more of our Moses trio (the trio we actually wanted) and how they build their business from the ground up, but what we got was heartwarming. I will definitely rewatch my favorite scenes when I need my XZ dose lol, since we're going to be in for a drought next year *cries*.

I can't believe the drama ends with one more ep tomorrow. I'm going to miss catching up to it after work every night. And there's probably an XZ drought next year aside from the LOCH movie. Well, at least I'll have three dramas to rewatch my favorite scenes from. Shoutout to Aska Yang's song that plays whenever SY is going through it; it's probably my favorite OST song and it always comes on at the perfect time. Also, random, but I keep thinking of Taylor Swift's song Midnight Rain for SY and JB lol; he is sunshine and she is midnight rain.

I thought SY's mom was actually pretty reasonable when she spoke with JB in ep 34. I think any mom in real life would worry about their son dating an older woman and have some sort of reaction, but his mom ultimately trusts SY and I think she'll turn into a huge supporter once she sees that they're in it for the long run. I like what JB said about how the younger guy only needs one reason to date an older woman, but the older woman would need many reasons to date someone younger than her. JB's personality is quite pragmatic and she keeps most of her emotions inside, so her way of expressing love for SY is more reserved. But she is determined to make it work, or she wouldn't have given him a chance at all. I love that mom's convo was what pushed SY and JB to find out about their family situations. His conversation with his dad was so touching. I love their dad-son moments. I laughed when SY said "I'll handle him" after JB left for work and he's left to deal with her dad. I can't believe he managed to win the old man over that quickly. SY didn't even care to clarify that he wasn't JB's boy toy lol; he's like, I'll stick around and prove that I'm a legitimate boyfriend. I love JB and SY's heart to heart where she told him about her dad and mom. She even said she didn't tell XYM about it, so it proves how much she loves and trusts SY. The hug and head kiss - I'm melting. The video montage SY made for JB made me a bit teary eyed, which I wasn't expecting. He is so thoughtful and sincere, using her camera to capture the scene of her dad at her mom's funeral. He's just showing her the material, leaving her to decide for herself what her feelings are. Also, XYM and SY having a moment was hilarious; even XYM is realizing that SY is special and different haha. I'm worried about the aftermath of the fight in how it affects Jian Yi but it looks like SY is already intervening at the end of ep 35 hehe. I really, really hope they give us a satisfying last ep (and maybe one more kiss please please).

I don't want this drama to end T__T. The eps fly by so fast and now we're down to the last 3. I wish they hadn't cut down the number of eps from 40 to 36, I'm so sour about that. But I really enjoyed these two eps. It's frustrating, but I like how the drama showcases the difficulties that SY and Moses Company encounter during the beginning of their business. They're still young and inexperienced, so obviously people are going to take advantage of them and things won't go smoothly. But they're all in this together and I wish the drama focused more on that. I love PR's character development; they could've made her the annoying young girl as JB's love rival but thank goodness they gave her room to mature and she eventually became a CP fan of JB/SY lol. Even though I hate that our leads can't spend the majority of their time dating or being together, it makes sense in the realistic context of the drama. This isn't an idol drama, and our leads are both very busy with their jobs. JB is a director with unstable schedule, while SY is figuring out the ropes of having his own company. It would feel off if they're running off to meet with each other all the time. But that's why every chance they get to be together is so precious, and we see how much they love each other. XZ's characters always wooing his leading ladies in the subway station haha (TOOL and now this). Their unexpected run-in at the subway was perfect. They were both dealing with their own issues but their faces lit up when they saw each other. And their long hug where the rest of the world disappeared - like SY, I didn't want the subway to come. Every single scene of them together melts my heart or makes me smile like a fool. SY though, his Titanic joke (was he really joking though?), our boy is not that innocent LOL and I love it. I love JB's face when she got the implication of what he said. And his stolen kiss in the restaurant, my hearttt. Their movie date was so damn cute and we got a peck!!! I wasn't expecting that so I'm very happily surprised. I'll take any crumbs they give me because I sense a storm coming with SY's mom coming to JB's house. I'm sensing a 3-year time jump and breakup even though I'm dreading it. I hope they don't rush the ending and actually show us a few more CP scenes, I'm begging for real because I love them as a couple so much. I honestly can't imagine anyone else as SY and JB now.

It's easy to assume that XZ is playing himself or SY is XZ in a parallel world, but if you follow XZ or watch him in interviews, you'll see how different his real self is from SY. I honestly am shook at how he manages to subvert those assumptions and bring such a well-rounded, bright, young, pure, talented, and strong SY to life on the screen. SY is SY, he has his own personality, mannerisms, and characteristics. It's hard to describe, but there's always a distinct sincerity in how he portrays his characters that makes him so attractive as an actor. He is also so good in the romantic scenes; he gives me butterflies every time and SY is perfect boyfriend material. His acting isn't greasy or over the top! XZ's acting convinces me that a young man could be in love with someone 10 years older than him and have her in his heart for 10 years, that a pure and sincere love like this exists even if it's rare. I just want him to act for many many years to come, get good scripts to choose from, and have the chance to act different types of roles and work with good costars.

AAAHHHH finally they are together! I adored the firework scene, it was so warm (despite the snow lol) and intimate. I didn't even think SY was wearing JB's clothes when the BTS came out months ago but that makes it even cuter. I think SY in the leopard jacket and white hat is iconic; he looks SO FREAKING CUTE AND FLUFFY. XZ said in an interview for the drama that he was nervous about being 31 and playing a young boy, but he was being too humble! He looked so pure, sweet, and huggable in that scene, and his eyes were so clear and full of love for JB. He nailed it. And the kiss we've waited 30 eps for! SY, you should've done it earlier; JB would have not been able to resist you lol. I loved how he kept on grabbing JB after JS saw them; his expressions were spot on. I adored the whole section of JB hiding in his room, looking through his sketchbook, agreeing to be his gf, and sleeping in his bed. They just talked and looked at each other but I was grinning like an idiot. XZ's gotten so good at just expressing his feelings through his eyes, without any words. Him wanting to kiss her but getting stopped was soooo cute (but honestly JB, how can you resist?). I knew his mom was going to react badly to it, although I was laughing at his dad trying to ease the tension with humor. His dad is hilarious. I understood his mom's POV and her concerns are valid, although she did hurt him with those words. With JB's dad in the picture now, I'm nervous about the rest of the eps. I just want them together and happy, and I hope the three-year breakup is wrong. I want them to be together and overcome every hurdle together, to prove that they are indeed meant to be. I just want more cute and lovey dovey scenes please!!! Their chemistry is just insane and so organic!

Today's eps were perfect - they definitely made up for the frustrating eps yesterday. I really hope the rest of the show keeps up this quality and has a lot of sweet CP moments for our leads. I absolutely adore SY's drunk scene. XZ nailed the acting; I felt bad when SY was near tears but then couldn't help laughing when he fell and couldn't run. My heart also skipped a beat when he asked JB to say that she likes him, and when he kept hugging her. Seriously, it's a miracle that JB has been able to resist him this long LOL; I would've given in ages ago. I love how they show Moses Company struggling with their first project because it sure isn't easy starting your own business from the ground up. I love JB's pep talk after the equipment incident. SY has a lot of pride, especially because he wants to prove to JB that he's worthy of her, but JB is totally right; experience has to be cultivated over time. That's why it makes sense for them to collaborate. I was smiling like an idiot at the ending scene in ep 27 where they're talking at her house. I love that they talk it out and are being honest with each other. They're also lowkey flirting with the contract signing. Their chemistry is so organic, warm, and natural, like the sun slowly melting the ice LOL. It's super accurate. Praying for tomorrow's eps to give us more of the same; I can't get enough of our leads together!

I loved ep 22!! Seeing SY work so naturally with those city landscape models is like seeing a glimpse of the real XZ when he was a designer. It's true that men are the most attractive when they're working lol. XYM needs to move tf on and stop meddling into JB's life. It's his fragile male ego that's making it hard for him to accept that someone he cheated on is now being chased by a guy handsomer and younger than him. It's realistic, but also annoying as heck. I'm so glad we got closure on the issue with the stage, Song Chen and Pan Rou teaming up to take down the Team Leader was so satisfying to watch. I love the trio's friendship and now starting their own company. SY wants to catch up with JB, wants to be her equal, and this seems like the next right step, even though it's going to be tough. I love every scene of our leads together, even if they're just talking back and forth. I like JB praising SY when he's not around but purposely challenging him when he brings his ideas to her. I know we're likely not going to see them officially together until ep 30 or something which is so late, but the drama better give us lots of sweet CP scenes to make up for that.

I just have to say I adore XZ as SY. From the little behind the scene snippets of the drama before it aired, I thought he was going to be a simple, young, and fun character. But XZ's acting makes SY feel so multifaceted, real, and incredibly likeable. He's like someone you'd find in real life (although his looks are way above average!), someone who shines bright like a sun but is also a normal guy with flaws (cough cough wearing the same shirt forever cough cough). XZ's gotten so good at microexpressions and conveying his feelings without dialogue. I keep thinking about how Gu Wei is different from Xiao Chunsheng who is different from Sheng Yang. SY feels young, from his body language to his face to his overall aura. I love how he's able to make all of his characters feel distinctive from each other.

I've been trying to stick to positive comments but I'm also skipping the hockey couple scenes. I don't mind side characters as long as they stick to...being side characters, not when they take up way too much unnecessary screen times. I really hope this isn't a trend for the rest of the eps because I'm here for SY and JB. It's really frustrating because the drama is so enjoyable otherwise. I'm okay with LSS and ex-husband because at least they're part of the company and important people in JB's life. Anyway, I love that first meeting/showdown between XYM and SY. He was being an ass with his fragile male ego (can't believe my ex-wife has found someone younger and handsomer than me!), but SY was not having any of it lol. Also love JB not taking her ex's bs either. Now that they're appearing less, I love and cherish every minute our leads get to be together. You can tell JB is falling (haha the sun is steadily melting the ice), and how can she not?! I love all of their interactions and conversations, how they're just gradually growing closer even though she said to remain professional. JB, the heart wants what it wants! What LSS said about JB never taking the subway but agreeing to take it with SY is already such an obvious sign that she's falling for him. I NEED the future eps going into next week to focus on our CP so I don't have to wait until ep 30 or something for them to be official.

Omg the scenes of his mom disguising herself to tail him was hilarious. I love how she didn't question him or yell at him, but just went along with it until he decided to tell her. Their conversation was so sweet; XZ has such good chemistry with his onscreen family members too. JB's convo with LSS was very well acted; I could see how hurt JB was with how she tried to hold back her tears. The highlight was definitely SY coming to JB's set and helped her get through a tough shoot. SY's little talk with the little girl was so freaking cute, how he said he's "not yet" the director's boyfriend. And how he doesn't want to wrap it up LMAO. His idea of drawing the animals to help the kids was so smart of him. XZ being all smiley in the rain? Sign me up, every day. JB is definitely falling, you can see the little smiles! I love all of their casual conversations, they feel natural and not like reading things off a script. I need them to get together already, they deserve to be happy together. Can't wait for tomorrow's eps, things looking interesting lol.